Cowichan Energy Alternatives (CEA), the Cowichan Bio-Diesel Co-op (Co-op) and the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) invite you to the official public opening of Vancouver Island’s first “Green & Go” Biofuel Station. The station provides a full range of GHG-reducing biodiesel blends for use in any diesel car, truck, bus or machinery.COWICHAN “Green & Go” BIOFUEL STATION (OFFICIAL OPENING)2 PM THURSDAY, November 19th, 2015WHERE: The Cowichan Biofuel Facility - located at the CVRD Bings Creek Recycling Centre3900 Drinkwater Road, North Cowichan, British Columbia

The new biodiesel blending pump and Point of Sale (PoS) technology will provide drivers with an easy and secure way to access clean, renewable biodiesel after they create a user account at www.biopay.org. Biodiesel is a proven fossil-fuel-alternative that reduces harmful pollution while increasing a vehicle’s engine life. The pump’s PoS will provide each member with a transaction record that shows greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions with every fill up.

Representatives from CEA, CVRD and the Co-op will be available to answer questions about this local sustainable biodiesel solution. Guests and media will be able to see first-hand how easy it is to use the new biofuel pump and how anyone can become a member of the Co-op to gain access to this carbon neutral fuel.

‘Sustainable Solution in Action’ - The Cowichan Biofuel Facility is a homegrown centre for recycling commercial and residential waste cooking oil into environmentally-friendly biodiesel for local use as a petroleum diesel substitute. This demonstration facility is the first of its kind in North America and a model for communities seeking sustainable solutions that support the development of a local, low-carbon economy. It is the result of a unique partnership between the Cowichan Valley Regional District, Cowichan Bio-Diesel Co-op and Cowichan Energy Alternatives, and is part of the growing BC Biofuel Network. Financial support was provided in part by Vancity.

​Biodiesel in its pure form (B100) can be used as a complete substitute for petroleum diesel fuel or it can be blended with regular diesel at the new Green & Go biofuel station to whatever blend is required (B5, B20 and B50). This makes biodiesel an important renewable energy solution that can be used now with available diesel engine technology to immediately reduce GHG emissions and other harmful pollutants. In North Cowichan where the pump is located, 73% of the community’s GHG emissions are produced by transportation. The sustainable fuel alternative offered at the Cowichan Biofuel Facility, now made even more accessible through the Green & Go Biofuel Station, will enable our community to address one of its biggest environmental challenges.

Please join us to celebrate this important step to help address our community’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy security in the Cowichan Valley.

Cowichan Bio-Diesel Family FUNdraiser - May 31st' 2014

Opening of VI's first bio-diesel blending pump

Supporting Sustainability @ Cowichan Station!

Most of you are aware of the recent tragic death of CEA and CB-DC financial manager Miles Phillips and the consequential financial difficulties faced by his family. And some of you may be aware of the previous challenges facing the CB-DC (multiple robberies, funding cuts, poor weather forcing closure etc).

In light of these events and the spirit of giving, please join us in raising money for the family of Miles Phillips and a cause Miles was passionate about - Cowichan Bio-Diesel Co-op (CB-DC)﻿!

There will live music from Bijou de Bayou, Paradigm Shifters, the Twisted Vine String Band, a silent auction, food, beverages, kids activities as well as some fun dance beats spun at the end of the night by Brian Edgar and Federico Vallin. Proceeds will be split between the family of Miles Phillips, and the Cowichan Bio-Diesel Co-op. We are suggesting a donation of $15 at the door, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds or for donating more!

It’s not every community that is blessed with its own locally produced, sustainable biofuel service as we are here in Cowichan. Let’s keep our Co-op going, and providing the essential service it does, and help out a struggling family at the same time.

Come demonstrate your support and the resilience of our Cowichan community!

It's going to be a super-fun night but we need some help with various duties, especially the day and night of. If you are interested in volunteering in any capacity or can't make it but would like to donate please email Genevieve at gencharb@gmail.com and/or Stephanie at happinessishealthy@gmail.com

Cowichan Bio-Diesel Coop is delighted and grateful to have committed members like Genevieve Charbonneau and Stephanie Cerins who have volunteered to organize this event and raise funds for Cowichan Bio-Diesel and Miles's Family.

Car Conversion Workshop - July 2012

Join us at Dockside Green in Victoria for a workshop on converting your diesel car so that it is able to burn SVO (straight vegetable oil)! There will be two sessions 10AM and 2PM.

Collective Biofuels Conference on Vancouver Island - August 2011

Cowichan Energy Alternatives and the Cowichan Bio-Diesel Co-Op were proud hosts of the 2011 Collective Biofuels Conference. The CBC brings renewable energy experts, enthusiasts and interested beginners together to discuss all things biofuels, with a focus on biodiesel. Moving the Collective Biodiesel Conference to Canada from Washington D.C. and changing the name to Biofuels seemed risky, but it paid off. Would attendees follow the conference across North America? Could we attract a local base? Thankfully the answer to both was yes.

People came from BC and across Canada, ten U.S. states were represented including North Carolina, Texas and Hawaii, and we even had someone come from Iceland! The spirit of the conference was alive and well at this year's event, with a palpable excitement as attendees delved into all aspects of biofuels.

Community Biodiesel Processor Grand Opening - July 2011

July 2011 - With the new community biodiesel processor at Bing’s Creek, sustainable vehicle fuel can now be processed in Duncan!

The new processor will close the sustainable fuels loop in the Cowichan Valley – taking waste cooking oil from area residents and restaurants, processing it into biodiesel, and selling it at the 2999 Allenby Road card lock in Duncan to CB-DC members.

The Grand Opening of the Bing’s Creek Biofuels Facility took place Wednesday, July 27th. This community-scale processor is located at 3900 Drinkwater Road in Duncan.

B100 Fuel Giveaway - September 2011

September 2011 Update - We would like to congratulate new Co-op member Maddy Koch on winning 200L of biodiesel with the Big B100 Fuel Giveaway!

July 2011 - The Co-op is thrilled to announce that after many years of hard work, fundraising and collaboration, the Cowichan Biofuel Facility is now up and running! In fact, last week CEA processed the first 1000L of locally recycled waste cooking oil into a clean, golden B100. While the facility is still not 100% operational, we now have the ability to better control the quantity and quality of Co-op biofuels for Co-op members – and this will better as we continue to improve and innovate the process!

In celebration of this exciting milestone the Co-op would like to reward the members that stood by us through all the growing pains with a Big B100 giveaway!